The first CUNY-Pipeline conference that also

included community colleges was held this past

Friday February 19 at the Graduate Center. More

than 120 posters and performances were held

during the whole day and students had the

opportunity to showcase their honors work and

research findings

Our college’s performance was outstanding as

more than 40 percent of the TOTAL number of

presentations involved our kids. In fact

Queensborough’s number was higher than the

second, third and fourth institutions (all senior

colleges) combined.

It is important to note that half of our

departments contributed to this success. There

were posters in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics,

Electrical Technology, Nursing and Economics as

well as exceptional performances by the theater

and Fed Challenge teams. Topics involved among

others research findings, internship experiences,

service learning, and the clickers’ effectiveness

assessment. The quality of posters both

physically and in content was outstanding. The

kids were in their best clothing proud to explain

their work and ably convincing the attendees.

The outcome of the Honors classes and the

satisfying result of the faculty’s mentoring paid

off in a glorious manner.

One of the two keynote speakers was our former

graduate Dr. JaimeLee Iolani Rizzo who, is

currently a full professor and deputy chair of the

Sciences Department at Pace University. Her talk

resonated with the students who saw in her a role

model they ought to follow. Dr. Rizzo has agreed

to serve as the keynote speaker at the QCC’s 50th

Anniversary event of the STEM Academy that will

be held on Friday March 12, 3-5pm in M-136. I

hope we see all of you there.

The Honors Program INSIDE THIS ISSUE

The Honors Program 1

Academic Programs and Reflections 2

Reflections 8

Comments and feedback on this issue of the Newsletter

may be sent to EHanssen@qcc.cuny.edu or GBurdi@qcc.cuny.edu

The Chemistry Department Honors group huddles before the beginning of the poster

presentations

The first few Honors classes were offered for the

first time during the Spring of 2000. Ten years later

the program has bloomed mainly due to the

faculty’s commitment and interest in nurturing the

students. The main compensation of these

exceptional mentors is to see the fruits of their

labor in events such as this. The support of the

administration is very significant. In particular our

President Dr. Marti attended the event and spent

most of his time standing in front of the posters

and listening to the students’ explanations. One

can only imagine the pride and the “wow” feelings

the students displayed with this experience.

The CUNY Pipeline steering committee involved two

Queensborough representatives, one of them being

Dean Michele Cuomo. Her most valuable and

fundamental input in collecting the abstracts and

setting the program was assisted by the underrated

contributions of the very able Carol Imandt.

There are still many more better days ahead of us

at Queensborough.

By Dr. Paris Svoronos, Chemistry

Queensborough Community College, 222-05 56th Avenue Bayside, NY 11364 718-631-6262

WWW.QCC.CUNY.EDU

Spr ing 2010

Number 15

HONORS NEWSLETTER

Page 2

Queensborough Honors Newsletter

The Honors Program Library Workshop

Students participating in the QCC Honors Program are required to take a Library Research Workshop.

The Workshop enhances existing skills and offers options in developing new research methods.

The Workshop provides students with a forum to discuss their research techniques, share research

strategies with other participants, learn new methods in selecting and evaluating sources, along with

learning about the research support network available to them at the QCC Library.

Library Workshop components include:

Evaluating Internet Websites

Legal and Ethical Use of Sources

Online Database Searching

Primary versus Secondary Sources

Use of CUNY+PLUS Online Catalog

A recent survey was conducted about The Honors Program Library Workshop and the Top Ten

comments from the QCC Honors Student completing the workshop are:

I did not know I could access The New York Times from 1851.

Did not know about the online databases and that they were full-text…online newspapers

and journals.

I learned what a Boolean search is.

I learned what periodicals are.

Navigation of available resources from the CUNY library.

That we have databases available to us and we can borrow books from other CUNY libraries.

How to do an advanced search in GOOGLE and select a specific domain.

The difference between HTML and PDF files.

How important the source is that we use for our research.

I did not know there are more resources than GOOGLE or Wikipedia.

The Student Honors Library Program workshop will not only help the Honors Student while in

attendance at QCC, but will serve as a tremendous resource during the student’s academic research

experience.

Honors English EN445

topics as I saw fit. The discussions were intelligent,

thought-provoking, and allowed students to express

their honest opinions. Roland Hanak wrote that "this

class doesn't teach you, it teaches you to think."

Samantha Panisse "enjoyed the brilliance of my

fellow students, learned a lot, and exercised my

mind more than I would have in a standard class."

Febia B. Jackson wrote that" Dr. Gillespie challenged

our minds and pushed us to think outside the box

which was more rewarding for our personal outlook

towards life, rather than just our grade for the

semester. Truly a rewarding experience which placed

a strong emphasis on individuality and yet never left

anyone feeling disconnected."

By Dr. Sheena Gillespie

In my honors section of EN445 we discussed

several texts by writers from different cultures

including Kate Chopin, Franz Kafka, Federico

Garcia Lorca, Albert Camus, and Toni Morrison.

The students quoted below were never absent,

always prepared, offered insightful comments, and

wrote excellent critical analyses of the authors

they chose for their research project. I feel

privileged to have spent the semester enriched by

their wisdom.

Bevon Lewis "enjoyed being able to write about

Page 3 Queensborough Honors Newsletter

My Association with the Honors Classes in Chemistry Department: First the Teaching; Now the Research

By Soraya Svoronos, Ph.D. Adjunct Associate Professor Chemistry Department

I have been associated with Honors classes in the

Chemistry Department since their inception in 2000.

It is certainly a great experience to see the academic

development of our Queensborough students via this

program. I have witnessed this during the first four

Annual QCC Honors Conferences where my students

made power point presentations. At the beginning

these students have absolutely no interest in

chemistry. At the end of the semester these same

individuals are ready to stand for 15 minutes and talk

about a specific topic they have picked out of the

course syllabus.

In January 2009 I was involved in a research project

with a student in the chemistry department in which

we measured the quantitative determination of the

antioxidant gallic acid in tea beverages. The student,

Rana Said, presented her findings first at the 5th

Annual Honors QCC Conference in April and at the

57th Undergraduate Research Symposium of the

American Chemical Society- NY section on May 2 at

Pace University both in power point form. Rana also

presented her work as a poster, at the 238th

National American Chemical Society Meeting in

Washington DC in August.

Over the years I have taught as an adjunct in at least

four different senior colleges and have never

detected the interest in mentoring by basically all

full time faculty that is evident in Queensborough’s

Chemistry Department. The students have extensive

research and internship opportunities through the

Honors Program that solidify their perception of the

true scientific world they will encounter as

professionals upon graduation.

.

Queensborough Mock Trial Team Competes in Regional Tournament

By Prof. Ted Rosen At the 2010 Atlantic Regional Tournament of the

American Mock Trial Association, held at St. John’s

University from February 26th through February

28th, the Queensborough Community College

Mock Trial Team competed against the 27 teams

from 16 colleges in the tournament.

The Queensborough Community College, the only

community college in the tournament, competed

in the Atlantic Regional for the third straight year,

finishing with 3 wins, 4 losses and 1 tie. The

Queensborough Community College team

defeated City College of New York as well as

Stonybrook University, and distinguished itself by

being very competitive in all of its matches. In

preparation for the tournament the team

participated in nine scrimmages during the

months preceding the event.

Each of the teams competing in the tournament

conducted the trial of the same case, twice from

the plaintiff’s side and twice from the

defendant’s side. The students on the teams

participated as attorneys, presenting opening

and closing statements and engaging in direct

and cross-examination of witnesses, and as

one of nine possible witnesses involved in the

case.

All students who are interested in participating

in future Mock Trial events should contact

Professor Ted Rosen in the Business

Department at (718) 281-5488, or at

trosen@qcc.cuny.edu.

Page 4

Queensborough Honors Newsletter

Honors Contracts in Psychology: A Different Experience at Queensborough!

In addition, the student gains experience reporting

the findings of their work at the QCC Honors

Conference. For many students, this is the first

opportunity to conduct independent study working

closely with a faculty member. Not only does the

experience allow students to explore interests but

also to consider more carefully future education and

career plans.

By Dr. Jeffrey Jankowski

Mentoring students who are conducting honors

contracts is a rewarding experience. An honors

contract offers students the opportunity to research

an idea guided closely by a faculty member. In my

case, the student many times intends to pursue a

baccalaureate and a graduate degree in psychology.

As such, the contract can be molded around the

student’s interest as well as the course content to

further knowledge into the area.

Can QCC Calculus II Honors Students Make Mathematical Theorems Dance and Talk? By Cristina Abreu-Suzuki, Ph.D., Mathematics

I first taught a Calculus II honors class at QCC in

Spring 2008. In the very beginning of the course I

realized that the students were well prepared and

intellectually curious. The learning environment that

an honors course provides allowed me to expose my

enthusiasm and passion for teaching mathematics

while I decided to experiment with different

techniques by using computer laboratory material.

Calculus II students must learn and use the software

MAPLE which has a wide variety of applications in

many areas of knowledge including Physics

and Engineering. When I first proposed the

students to produce original results using the same

MAPLE that they were studying in the lab and to

present their creation at the QCC Honors

Conference, they were a bit skeptical...but their

hunger for challenging experiences were louder

than any reluctant tendencies that would cross their

minds.

The students executed two big projects: "Explaining

how MAPLE was used to graphically simulate an

earthquake and the effect of wind load hitting

skyscrapers in two works of Thomas Stoll and Klaus

Thni ". Those honors

students grew more and more enthusiastic about

their final project. They adapted the original work

creating animations of their own which were

successfully presented at the Honors Conference.

In the Spring 2009 I found myself experimenting

once more, this time with students who wanted to

complete Honors Contracts in a standard Calculus II

class. Those students executed one big project

explaining how MAPLE was used to create sounds in

the work Creating Sound Sample Files using Maple 6

by Paul Goossens. In that Spring 2009

Calculus II class I detected the same reaction of the

Spring 2008 honors students: from skeptical to

eager users of MAPLE. Needless to say that the

students created their own original sounds.

At the Honors Conference they successfully

presented their analysis of the original work and

they masterfully ended their presentation playing

the sounds that they created. Finally, as for the

answer to the title question: yes, QCC Calculus II

honors students can make mathematical theorems

dance and talk, They just need to be contaminated

with passion and enthusiasm for mathematics.

Page 5 Queensborough Honors Newsletter

Congratulations to the 2009 QCC Fed Challenge

Team for having won the community college

competition for the New York District regional and

third place in the national community college

competition.

The Fed Challenge is a nationwide intercollegiate

competition sponsored by the regional Federal

Reserve offices, with the winner of each region

competing in a national final competition held in

Washington D.C. in December. This is the seventh

year of the college competition, and the third year

that two year schools compete in their own division.

The New York regional competition was held at

the Federal Reserve building in downtown NYC.

The list of twenty three area colleges competing

included Rutgers, Princeton, Baruch, and West

Point.

The objective of the competition is to promote

understanding of our Federal Reserve System

among college students, and while our team

members did not qualify for the next round of the

competition they certainly achieved this objective.

2009-2010 Fed Challenge Team

The 2009 team is special because of who they

are and how they came together as team. All

team members are working students. All of

them came from different backgrounds and

through hard work and working together

became a team with each person supporting

one another. We are proud of what they

accomplished and who they became in the

process.

The team is sponsored by the Business

Department and the QCC Honors Committee.

Faculty advisors are Assistant Professors

Christine Mooney (CMooney@qcc.cuny.edu), Ed

Hanssen (EHanssen@qcc.cuny.edu) and Linda

Meltzer (LMeltzer@qcc.cuny.edu).

Queensborough Community College

Presents the

Sixth Annual Honors Conference Celebrating Student Research and Academic Life

Friday, April 23, 2010

8:30AM to 12 Noon

Medical Arts Building – First Floor and Basement

www.qcc.cuny.edu

Left to Right: Teresa Brunetti, Josh Voltaire,

Sandeep Singh, and Lorik Jakupi.

By Ed Hanssen

Page 6

Queensborough Honors Newsletter

Research Opportunity of Honors Class Students

By Dr. Jun H. Shin, Associate Professor, Chemistry

When I mention the students’ undergraduate research in

Queensborough’s chemistry department to four year

college faculty members, I am usually stared upon with

curiosity. However when I continue to say that our

undergraduate students regularly participate at national

and regional conferences where they present their

research results, their eyes open wide with unexpected

surprise. Yes, undergraduate research at a community

college is rare and uncommon. Presenting research

findings at a national conference as a main author?

“Priceless!”

When I joined the chemistry department at QCC five and

a half years ago, it was very difficult for me to find a

student who wanted to conduct research because it was

extra work for them to do without course credit. Now I

have to find a nice and polite way to say “I have no more

room for extra students.” Many of our honors class

students are involved in research every year because

taking an honors class may be a good pathway to join a

research group. As research students, they are exposed

to modern technology such as FT-NMR, FT-IR, UV-Vis,

SEM, HPLC, MS-GC and x-ray fluorescence as a first-

hand user which is, of course, unheard of to any first or

second year undergraduate students

(www.qcc.cuny.edu/Chemistry/instrument.asp).

Every year the research student and his/her mentor

in our department go to professional conferences.

Twenty five (25) students had poster presentations at

the National American Chemical Society Meeting, the

largest chemistry conference in the world, at

Washington DC last summer

(www.qcc.cuny.edu/Chemistry/ACS_2009.asp). A

research presentation is a good thing to add in a

resume, but more important it benefits the building

of confidence through experimentation and

presentation. Many students look nervous and even

scared before their first conference, but later I see

them enjoying their achievement. Also some of them

have an opportunity to publish their research results

in a professional journal

(www.qcc.cuny.edu/Chemistry/publications.asp). In

an honors class, a student will find the opportunity

and experience never expected otherwise.

Members of the Honors Committee

Christina Abreu-Suzuki Ed Hanssen

Aithne Bialo-Padín Andrew Levy

Glenn Burdi Susan Sciammarella

Michele Cuomo Regina Sullivan

Karen Gapper Paris Svoronos

Eileen Whte

Page 7 Queensborough Honors Newsletter

The 238th National American Chemical Society Meeting: An Enlightening Experience for our Students

By Paris Svoronos

The 238th NATIONAL American Chemical Society

Meeting was held in Washington DC August 16-20

2009. August 17, was the day scheduled for the

undergraduate research poster session. This event

highlighted the students standing in front of their

posters and defending their research findings and

interpretations to visiting participants of the

conference.

There were exactly 200 undergraduate posters

accepted for presentation. The Chemistry

Department had 25 posters (12.5% of the total) -

the highest number among any participating college

or university. Queensborough was also the only

community college that had students in this

event. This was an exceptionally gratifying

experience that I consider the pinnacle of teaching,

learning and modifying the students’ lives. I was

proud to see our freshmen and sophomores stand

in their best attire displaying the maturity, behavior

and knowledge in a manner no different than that of

any junior or senior in a four-year college.

The effort involved the collaborative work of all

nine chemistry full timers (Drs. Sasan Karimi,

Irina Rutenburg, Moni Chauhan, Sharon Lall-

Ramnarine, David Sarno, Jun Shin, Mihaela

Bojin, Tirandai Hemraj-Benny and myself) and

three CLTs (Pedro Irigoyen, Bruce Montalbano

and Andrew Xu). It also included four adjuncts

(Drs. Gopal Subramaniam, Soraya Svoronos,

Luis Vargas and Jordan Verdis). And for the first

time there was a joined work of a Biologist (Dr.

Mangala Tawde) and a chemist (Dr. Moni

Chauhan). The research findings were obtained

during the intersession and spring break.

The faculty transformed students who were

unsure of their academic future and their

potential into future scientists who can

compete at a comparable senior level. These

faculty are not lecturers- they are teachers and

mentors. Who says that Queensborough cannot

make Honors students?

Monday August 17, 2009 was a good day for

Queensborough. There are better days ahead of

us.

First Annual Business Academy Ethics Essay Contest Winners Announced

Gurpreet Singh (left) and Kenny Wong (third from left) with their mentor Chemistry’s Dr Tirandai Hemraj-Benny (second

from left)

The winners of the 2010 Business Academy Essay

Contest are:

First Place: Tasia Lawrence (Environmental)

Second Place: Teresa Brunetti Lihach

(Whistleblowing)

Third Place: Yiu Bun Benny, Mok

(Workplace Discrimination)

They will be presenting their research and papers

on March 18th (2-6 in M136) at the 50th

Anniversary Event for the Business Academy called

"Students Voice their Values on Ethics".

Page 8

Queensborough Honors Newsletter

Changing from a Quick Transfer to Graduation:How the Honors Program Changed my Mind

By Eunchul Kim

When I first came to Queensborough Community

College, I really wanted to transfer to a four-year

engineering school the following semester. At that time,

my motivation was dying out and all I wanted was to get

out and go through some change. I thought the only

way to achieve that was to transfer to a four-year

institution as soon as possible.

At first, I talked to Dr. Paris Svoronos to register for a

regular General Chemistry course just because it was a

transferrable part of my pre-engineering curriculum. He

looked at my records and started talking about Honors

General Chemistry, conducting research under the

guidance of a faculty mentor, and how those

experiences can change my college life. I became

excited and instantly decided to take the challenge. It

turned out that I went through the change that would

never go away right here in the Chemistry Department.

Now I can tell you that the day was one of the major

turning points in my life and every single experience I

have had in the department up until now contributed to

changing me to my present status.

From the first semester of Honors General Chemistry I,

I started getting trained for research on the Synthesis of

TTPI (3-trimethoxysilylpropyl isocyanurate) stabilized

transition metal nanoclusters under the guidance of Dr.

Moni Chauhan. I should mention that the experience of

conducting research as an undergraduate is an

exceptional opportunity and having it in a community

college is almost unknown to all other institutions.

Having a faculty mentor who always welcomes you

when you knock on the door and cares about your

personal development is a very special opportunity. I

worked in a very nice newly equipped research lab

which made me look and feel professional, learned to

carry out reactions and to use various spectroscopic

instruments to analyze the experimental results. I was

able to become an active part of an original research

project, discuss the results with my mentor and learned

to think analytically and scientifically. It was hard and

time-consuming to prepare presentations and posters

for meetings and conferences, but those were the times

that I learned the most about my research. I also have

to mention that the travels to

conferences and meetings with fellow students

and faculty members as well as communicating

with the scientific community were

extraordinary experiences that made me feel

very professional and enthusiastic. All these

add to extra nice “records” that would make my

resume stand out from the crowd too. You

must believe that these are the things that I did

not think I would be able to do before I met Dr.

Svoronos.

I have personally presented my own research

findings in six different American Chemical

Society (ACS) meetings including two National

Meetings in Philadelphia and Washington DC,

as well as two QCC Honors Conferences. I was

also featured at the official ACS periodical

(Chemical and Engineering News) in a photo.

I must also talk about the classroom experience

from the Honors Chemistry courses. In the

classroom, I was constantly motivated and

challenged with assignments and frequent

tests. These requirements were not easy at all,

but the rewards you get from achieving the

goals and meeting expectations more than

compensate for the hard work. Dr. Svoronos

makes extra efforts to make his students work

harder, be responsible, and stay motivated. He

works passionately to offer his students

chances to realize their potentials. I really

needed to get rid of my lazy habits and had to

force myself to work hard, and in the process I

realized that I could do more than I ever

thought. At the end of each challenging

semester, I found myself growing confident to

face even worse challenges. Becoming a part of

an inner community of enthusiastic and

motivated students that receives special

attention from faculty members is a privilege

that only Honors Chemistry students can enjoy.

Now I want to say confidently that every single

semester that I have spent in the chemistry

department has helped me to set out my long

term goal and prepare a solid foundation for it.

It is certainly a life-changing experience.

Page 9 Queensborough Honors Newsletter

How the Honors Program has Changed my Life By Darryl Williams

The Honors Program at Queensborough Community

College had a tremendous effect on my entire career

path. The program pushes you beyond what you

initially thought was your uppermost limits to find

out that there is really no limit. The Honors Program

taught me amazing discipline and opened my eyes

to a vast world of possibilities. With the program I

was able to take part in a rewarding Biology

research project under Dr. Raji Suramaniam and

present my findings at various national conferences.

Moreover, I was fortunate to gain an internship with

the Department of Environmental Protection

for the summer of 2009 where I learned about

various sampling and research techniques on

water treatment. Within the program I gained a

new and very large family in which I can turn to

for just about anything. I view

Queensborough’s Honors Program as an

academic boot camp. Once you are through

with it the possibilities around you are

incredible so you better hold on. I can feel the

impact in my current studies at Queens College

where I am currently a junior.

Working on Organic Synthesis Research as Part of the Honors Program

By Renzo A. Samame, B.A in Chemistry

The Honors and Research Program at

Queensborough was an exciting and rewarding

experience as an undergraduate student. During

that time I was assigned to work under Dr. Luis

Vargas in the synthesis and design of an

anticancer alkylating agent. Over the course of

two semesters, I synthesized a compound that

combined two properties, an anticancer alkylating

agent and the inclusion of a bisphosphonate

group, known for its ability to inhibit osteoclastic

(i.e., bone) resorption.

This opportunity not only provided bench work

exposure but certainly created a bridge from the

regular class setting to where science really takes

place (the laboratory). In addition to the technical

lessons I learned, coupled with the challenges of, at

times, discouraging results, I realized that the

beauty of chemistry research is not only to prove

theoretical or applied analysis but to make us aware

of our capabilities. As I transferred to a four college,

such experience helped me gain a seat in a

medicinal chemistry laboratory and my subsequent

eligibility for a Bachelors degree with Chemistry

Honors.

Queensborough Chemistry Research is for the

curious, motivated and hard working students who

are fortunate to have a unique and caring faculty.

As a unique experience I had the opportunity of

meeting and taking a photo with Elias James Corey

(E.J. Corey) the 1990 Nobel laureate in Chemistry.

Attending the Seminars and Lectures of Scientists: An Impact Way for Improving my Abilities

By Sahara Refua

The Chemistry Honors program gives you the

chance to go and listen to seminars given by

scientists invited by the department to address

faculty and students. These seminars give you

information about the field that you have no idea

about. This experience helps you find out what

kind of career you are interested in. During my

three semester career at Queensborough I have a

minimum of twelve seminars that include

everything from Environmental Forensics to the

Determination of the Age of Sushi in restaurants to

the theoretical way of calculating distances and

angles of molecules.I had the opportunity to also

work on theoretical chemistry research with Dr.

Jordan Verdis and presented my findings at the

238th National meeting of the American Chemical

Society in Washington DC last August.

Page 10

Queensborough Honors Newsletter

A Summer Internship at the Division of Environmental Protection (D.E.P)

By Katie Lee

I first joined the Honors program at Queensborough last

Spring and registered for Honors General Chemistry I.

Through this experience I was able to be named for an

ATE Internship at the D.E.P. (Department of

Environmental Protection) for the summer of 2009. The

work was done at the Owl’s Head Lab for the Waste

Water Treatment facility. So far this has been one of my

most rewarding experiences. I had the privilege to work

inside a chemistry lab where I have performed various

chemistry related tasks, such as measuring the pH and

the chloride concentrations of water. I also prepared

samples and performed argentometric titrimetric

measurements.

This opportunity has given me the chance to

work with other professional chemists and

gain more knowledge about hands-on, every-day

related chemistry. It also taught me how our

waste water is processed and the different

experiments involved before it can be available

to the public. I now know and feel safe that the

water quality in New York City is of primary

quality. Being Involved in Honors Experiences with the Chemistry Department

By Ti-Ya Chang

I took Honors General Chemistry 151 in the

Spring 2008, which was expected to be a very

challenging course. The professor of this class

was Dr. Paris Svoronos, and I am sure he

expected all of us to achieve an A in this course.

During the lecture class, the professor shared his

knowledge with students, and students shared

what they knew with each other after the class. I

received absolute cooperation and great

participation from this class.

In the summer of 2008, Dr. Svoronos encouraged

students to serve as interns at the Department of

Environmental Protection (DEP), which was a very

interesting and useful experience. First of all, I

was required to learn the process of analyzing

water, and then I learned to analyze the data of

the samples from each water factory and the

various laboratories. Additionally, I assisted

several chemists in their tasks. I had to type the

data and categorize the samples. I thought that

the chemists were very serious, quiet and wore

dull glasses. However, the situation was very

different. The scientists actually loved to share

their experience when they were students, they

were really friendly and patient when they taught

and explained to me the details of the various

analyses. From various conversations with them,

I could see the passion of being a chemist, and

this experience also helped me reassure my life

goal. I did not regret spending my summer at

DEP, because I did learn and I did enjoy it.

Of course, it is not easy to get an A inan Honors

class. It requires students not only to thoroughly

concentrate on studying but also to completely

enjoy the moment of gaining knowledge.

Studying is fun! Furthermore, seminars which are

held every month by the Chemistry Department

are really interesting because they give you the

chance to know what is going on outside the

textbook, and they also provide the

opportunities to realize how to apply what we

learned in our daily lives! I truly appreciate that I

got the chance to be a student in honors classes

now that I am a QCC alumnus and a current John

Jay student.

Page 11 Queensborough Honors Newsletter

Taking Honors Classes at Queensborough: How this Experience Expands the Student’s Academic Horizon

By Eva Maria Santos Tejada

The honors courses at Queensborough consist of

small size classes. Even though one may initially

feel scared, this experience provides individuals

with an excellent opportunity to directly interact

with the instructors. This program is challenging

because it engages the student’s commitment and

dedication. In my experience, honors courses had

challenged me academically and personally, since

the classes are more intense than any other

regular section. However, the results are

extraordinarily worthy.

First this section academically allows students to

expand their horizons when pursuing their fields.

Second, the interaction with the instructors creates

a strong bond of friendship, respect and trust

between the faculty and the student. It also helps

students to develop critical thinking in the area the

course is related. For instance, honors students

in the chemistry department are required to

attend certain seminars during the semester,

where they have to write a summary of the talk.

Although this is challenging because some

topics are way beyond the student’s knowledge

and background, this experience still allows the

student to think as a scientist. Finally, I

encourage all students who want to take this

challenge to try and make a difference in their

own lives. The benefits acquired through the

experience of this program will lead to

successful graduates who will have more

opportunities in their lives on and off campus

in the future.

As a graduate of Queensborough and a junior

in Forensics at John Jay College I truly

appreciate my Honors opportunities at

Queensborough.

Starting a second career at Queensborough through the Honors Courses By Ernest Choi

General Chemistry 151 Honors was the first class

I took at QCC. It was difficult for me to grasp how

the honors classes were different from the

traditional classes offered. I did not have much

experience in the sciences as my academic career

primarily revolved around business and

finance. However, as the semester progressed,

two experiences lead me to conclude that the

honors chemistry course at QCC offers a

significant advantage over some of the non

honors level courses.

The first experience was tutoring some of the

introductory level chemistry courses. I had little to

no experience in chemistry and any experience in

it would date back to the mid 90's when I was

attending high school. However, through the

knowledge I gained in the CH151 honors class,

I was able to successfully tutor students

who were having trouble in their classes. In fact,

there are a number of CH151 students who come to

my tutoring sessions and who have been able to

receive the help they needed. Of course, there were

some topics that had not yet been discussed in the

CH 151 honors course that required attention.

However, through the strong base of knowledge

acquired in this honors course, I was able to use key

concepts to work out problems with the students.

Second, as I have been reviewing some study guides

for the DATs and MCATs, I realize that the practical

application of chemistry theory and concepts

learned in the CH 151 honors class will provide me

with the building blocks required to take these

standardized exams and perform well.

Page 12

Queensborough Honors Newsletter

How the Honors Program in Chemistry Helped me Get an Internship at Broohaven Labs this Past Summer By Parsa Sharifi

With the help of a STEM grant whose PI is Dr. Paris

Svoronos, the Chair of the Chemistry Department

at Queensborough, I was able to experience

researching with actual research scientists at

Brookhaven National Labs. This was a

tremendously amazing experience. I researched

with Dr. Lars Ehm on the synthesis of water

splitting oxynitrides to produce hydrogen gas with

the intention to use it as a clean fuel. We spent ten

weeks at Brookhaven this past summer

synthesizing this unique material. At the end we

were able to only obtain a small sample and

run only a few tests. The tests did not confirm

whether we made the oxynitride we intended to

synthesize but it did show us that we prepared

a new material. Even though there is more work

to be done, I was able to put the concepts that I

was taught in my Honors General Chemistry

classes to aid in my research. Of course without

the help of the Honors program, this

experience would not have been possible nor

would any of the potential doors be opened for

me if I was not offered such an amazing

opportunity.

.

How the Honors Experiences at Queensborough Helped me Survive the Stony Brook Challenge

By Rana Said Being part of the honors program at QCC was a

life changing experience. The environment of the

honors classes includes smaller classrooms,

faster covering of the course material, and more

challenging exams helped me develop a higher

work ethic and discipline. The academic

challenges helped me realize how capable I am in

conquering any difficulties that are encountered

in the classroom by being dedicated to learning

the material and putting 100% effort into what I

do.

The honors program also provided me with many

opportunities such as the Chemistry Research

experience. By researching certain topics I was

able to put theories into applications, test and

prove my own data, and come up with my own

conclusions. All the above helped me gain a

greater knowledge about the researched topic

and develop critical thinking.

The other major aspect of research is getting to

present my final work at several national

conferences. This gave me a great sense of

accomplishment and self-confidence that I would

not have developed without the assistance and

support of my mentors and professors. These

include Professor Syamala Ranganathan with whom I

measured the content of vitamin C in orange juices

and Dr. Soraya Svoronos with whom I investigated

the quantification of the antioxidant gallic acid in

tea beverages.

Last summer I graduated from Queensborough

Community College with an AS degree with honors,

and transferred to Stony Brook to pursue my BS

degree in Biomedical Engineering. I have become a

highly motivated person, with science- oriented

goals, that I am determined to achieve with all the

tools and experience gained from the honors

program at QCC.

Rana Said with her mentor Dr. Soraya Svoronos in front of their poster

Page 13 Queensborough Honors Newsletter

research program allows you to feel useful and

is a constant reminder that everyone has far

more potential than one would assume.

Conducting research has taken me to a higher

level of knowledge. Research along with

organic chemistry has pushed me and

reminded me that life is not about giving up.

Life is about fighting until the end it is as the

saying goes: if life gives you lemons make

lemonade.

Conducting Research on Organophosphorus Chemistry: A Route to Identify my Potential

By Jennifer Freire

Albert Einstein once said that “the important thing

is not to stop questioning things”. This statement

has become more than just a mere quote. It has

become a way of life. By working on the synthesis

of organophosphorus compounds with Dr. Luis

Vargas, my mind has been encouraged and

stimulated to learn out of the box. This

opportunity for research has taught me that

science does not only consist of the experiment

one does or what one learns inside a classroom,

but the amount of time and heart one puts into

understanding the concepts of chemistry, thus life,

outside of our natural niche called school.

Throughout the years of my academic studies, I

have been given numerous opportunities to do

research and take higher level courses. However,

many of those opportunities have been highly

competitive and sometimes non-obtainable,

which distinguishes the chemistry department at

Queensborough from any other academic

institutions. In my opinion Queensborough’s

Conducting Research on Carbon Nanotubes: An Unusual Experience at a Community College

By Esther Ahn

The Chemistry Department of Q.C.C. offers a very

unique academic opportunity for individuals to

take the knowledge gained within the classroom

and apply it into a practical setting of a

laboratory. Gaining research experience as an

undergraduate student is a privilege for many,

especially when working under the mentorship of

prolific and dedicated professors. This past

semester, I had the privilege of starting research

with Dr. Tirandai Hemraj-Benny in the research

on efficient syntheses of carbon nanotubes.

Although this semester was spent more on

mastering the introduction of laboratory

experimental processes as well as learning how to

use the various instrumentation and computer

software related to the research, the overall

experience has been very rewarding. I have much

to look forward to this short winter semester that

will be focused on conducting actual synthesis

of carbon nanotubes (instead of patiently watching

and assisting other students). What I appreciate

about the research program at Q.C.C. is the open

support and willingness of professors (or mentors)

in working with undergraduate students. At other

four year institutions, such privilege of working

under professor’s mentorship is often guarded for

graduate students. At Q.C.C., the students have the

resources and the opportunity to work at a graduate

student level – but it will be up to the individual

students to harness this opportunity to enhance and

maximize their academic experience.

Page 14

Queensborough Honors Newsletter

Conducting Research on Organophosphorus Chemistry:

A Route to Identify my Potential

By Eunchuk Kim

When I first came to Queensborough Community

College, I really wanted to transfer to a four-year

engineering school the following semester. At that time,

my motivation was dying out and all I wanted was to get

out and go through some change. I thought the only

way to achieve that was to transfer to a four-year

institution as soon as possible.

At first, I talked to Dr. Paris Svoronos to register for a

regular General Chemistry course just because it was a

transferrable part of my pre-engineering curriculum. He

looked at my records and started talking about Honors

General Chemistry, conducting research under the

guidance of a faculty mentor, and how those

experiences can change my college life. I became

excited and instantly decided to take the challenge. It

turned out that I went through the change that would

never go away right here in the Chemistry Department.

Now I can tell you that that day was one of the major

turning points in my life and every single experience I

have had in the department up until now contributed to

changing me to my present status.

From the first semester of Honors General Chemistry I,

I started getting trained for research on the Synthesis of

TTPI (3-trimethoxysilylpropyl isocyanurate) stabilized

transition metal nanoclusters under the guidance of Dr.

Moni Chauhan. I should mention that the experience of

conducting research as an undergraduate is an

exceptional opportunity and having it in a community

college is almost unknown to all other institutions.

Having a faculty mentor who always welcomes you

when you knock on the door and cares about your

personal development is a very special opportunity. I

worked in a very nice newly equipped research lab

which made me look and feel professional, learned to

carry out reactions and use various spectroscopic

instruments to analyze the results from experiments. I

was able to become an active part of an original

research project, discuss the results with my mentor

and learned to think analytically and scientifically.

It was hard and time-consuming to prepare

presentations and posters for meetings and

conferences, but those were the times that I learned

the most about my research.

I also have to mention that the travels to conferences

and meetings with fellow students and faculty

members as well as communicating with the scientific

community were extraordinary experiences that made

me feel very professional and enthusiastic. All these

add to extra nice “records” that would make my

resume stand out from the crowd too. You must

believe that these are the things that I did not think I

would be able to do before I met Dr. Svoronos.

I have personally presented my own research findings

in six different American Chemical Society (ACS)

meetings including two National Meetings in

Philadelphia and Washington DC, as well as two QCC

Honors Conferences. I was also featured at the official

ACS periodical (Chemical and Engineering News) in a

photo.

I must also talk about the classroom experience from

the Honors Chemistry courses. In the classroom, I was

constantly motivated and challenged with

assignments and frequent tests. These requirements

were not easy at all, but the rewards you get from

achieving the goals and meeting expectations more

than compensate for the hard work. Dr. Svoronos

makes extra efforts to make his students work harder,

be responsible, and stay motivated. He works

passionately to offer his students chances to realize

their potentials. I really needed to get rid of my lazy

habits and had to force myself to work hard, and in

the process I realized that I could do more than I ever

thought. At the end of each challenging semester, I

found myself growing confident to face even worse

challenges. Becoming a part of an inner community of

enthusiastic and motivated students that receives

special attention from faculty members is a privilege

that only Honors Chemistry students can enjoy. Now I

want to say confidently that every single semester that

I have spent in the chemistry department has helped

me set out my long term goal and prepare a solid

foundation for it, even beyond bachelor's degree. It is

certainly a life-changing experience.

Page 15 Queensborough Honors Newsletter

How PLTL Tutoring Has Helped me Develop as an Honors Student

By Christine Casas

During the last two semesters I had the challenge of

taking a total of 13 credits hours of Honors classes in

Chemistry. I also had the pleasure of serving as a PLTL

tutor for the Chemistry Department at Queensborough

Community College.

When the chairman Dr. Paris Svoronos asked me to

participate in the Honors Program by becoming a

tutor, I must admit I was nervous and afraid that I

could not do it. However, the first time I heard a

student tell me that she understood a problem that I

explained on the blackboard, the fear subsided.

Helping students understand chemistry has been a

rewarding experience for me for two reasons. First,

there is the satisfaction of helping your peers and

hearing them say their grades have improved because

of your help. Having struggled myself with certain

aspects of chemistry, I feel makes it even more

rewarding when I can explain it to someone

else and have them understand as well. Second,

discussing and explaining chemistry further

reinforces the ideas for me. As I teach

someone how to work a problem out, I am also

practicing and studying at the same time.

I truly believe that the tutoring program is

extremely beneficial to all students including

myself. I not only tutor other students, but I

take advantage of the program myself. It has

and continues to be an invaluable resource for

me and my fellow students. I am proud and

grateful to be a part of this program and hope

to be for as long as I am student at

Queensborough.

Conducting Organic Synthesis Research: An Enlightening Experience

By Prakash Prasad

Being part of the Honors program at Queensborough

Community College has been a rewarding experience.

My involvement with this program dealt with

conducting research with faculty members, Dr. Sasan

Karimi and Dr. Gopal Subramaniam. Working closely

with them has enabled me to enhance my knowledge

about various syntheses, as well as laboratory

techniques to analyze experiments. Working with this

program gave me the opportunity to be a part in the

contribution of science to our society. Just this past

year alone, not only did I present my research to the

academic community at Queensborough, but I also

presented my findings at the Regional American

Chemical Society- Undergraduate Research

Symposium, as well as the National American

Chemical Society Meeting in Washington D.C.

Being able to participate at these monumental

meetings also gave me the chance to network with

professors and students from other colleges and

universities, and has since been offered spots in

graduate programs in at least one university. My

current studies at Queens College are not easy but I

know it would have been much more difficult should

I have not gone through the discipline and hard

work research involves.

I encourage anyone to be a part of the Honors

program at Queensborough, the benefits and

advantages you get are priceless, and the

possibilities with this program are endless.

Editor’s Note: Dr. Karimi reports that these findings

have just been accepted in a submitted publication.

Page 16

Queensborough Honors Newsletter

Biotechnology BI-453 Honors Class QCC

be sure about what they want, however they are

willing to work hard when given the chance. It is my

job as an educator to believe in them and give them

a chance to shine! Over the last two semesters my

honors students have given oral/poster

presentations not only in-house but also at

professional regional conferences where they have

won awards. It not only boosts their confidence but

also keeps me going. Here are comments from some

of my students:

By Nidhi Gadura, Ph.D.

Given the community college setting, I was a bit

reluctant when I first decided to teach a

biotechnology honors course at Queensborough.

However, the encouragement I received from some

of my colleagues gave me the strength to pursue

this challenge. Two semesters later, I still struggle

with low enrolment, but now the success of my

students is giving me strength. I see bright

promising students who might not always

Biotechnology BI-453 Honors Student Fall 2009

lectures and practical applications. It afforded me

the opportunity to stand amongst undergraduate as

well as graduate students and present my findings at

the regional biology conference.

By Rachel Hammer

Dr. Gadura’s biotechnology class was extremely

empowering. It helped me understand the

prevalence of this important field through detailed

Biotechnology BI-453 Honors Student Fall 2009

genetically modified food in the class. Biotechnology

will be rising to help improve hunger in the world

and help humans with gene therapy. The

Biotechnology honors class made me change my

views about biology.

By Athanasia Pavlou

Attending the biotechnology class with Dr. Gadura

here at Queensborough made me realize that there

is more to biology than just memorizing names of

plants. I learned the genetic engineering of plants

and used different plant genomes to look for

Biotechnology BI-453 Honors Student Fall 2009

thoughts and experiences about Biotechnology with

the rest of the students and faculty members. This

class gave me a chance to research my project and

actually do real life experiments, and show the

results from the data that I collected by conducting

these experiments.

By Muhammad Awan

The honors conference for the Biotech class was a

really good experience not only for me but also for

the whole Biotech class. It gave me a chance to

present my project in front of a group of people. It

also it gave me an opportunity to share my

Service Learning Honor’s Project

By Lee Kon Chen

Anatomy and Physiology in the college. This prior

learning equips us with the knowledge to assist

others. In addition, we train at the Learning Center

on how to be a good tutor and how to deal with

learning issues. Through service learning, we learn

as we tutor others while learning important social

skills. Through tutoring and interacting with

different students, we learn about diverse ethnic

cultures and what issues these different students

deal with. Most importantly, we acquire a sense of

accomplishment and satisfaction in our lives.

Students in health related fields are required to

take Anatomy and Physiology offered by their

schools. This is an intense course, which requires

effort in understanding and strong memory skills.

Through the Anatomy and Physiology’s Honor’s

Service Learning Project, students like me, offer

our time and knowledge to the QCC Student

Learning Center. We tutor our classmates, who

need extra help on the material in the curriculum.

We learn the curriculum material ahead of time

guided by our mentors, who are professors of

Page 17 Queensborough Honors Newsletter

BI-302 Honors/Service Learning Project

body by creatng activities, that show them that

learning can be both informational and fun at the

same time. One of the most memorable activities

was a fetal pig dissection which allowed them to

locate all the parts of the body we learned about.

What was amazing to us as well was that by teaching

children, we could learn the topic of Anatomy and

Physiology to so much more depth. In order to

prepare games and activities to teach the kids, we

had to really understand the body and how it works.

I can only hope that I have the opportunity to be a

part of this program again in the coming semesters.

I found that not only did we help to inspire them,

but they inspired us as well.

By Shazeeda Chintamani

Participating in the Honors/Service Learning

program with children from Homes for the

Homeless, a homeless shelter in Queens, was one

of the most treasured experiences that I have had.

The feeling you take away from the entire

experience is its true value. I was involved in

teaching children who were less fortunate, yet

these children never let their lack of fortune define

them. When they showed up every week they were

happy and so excited to be here. My partner and I

taught the kids about Anatomy and Physiology of

the body and its individual systems. As the weeks

progressed they became inspired to learn more.

We came up with fun ways to teach them about the

Honors Biotechnology Program Experience

By Catherine Lizarraga

experience of all for me was being at the MACUB

conference and getting to hear from speakers that

are currently involved with the biology field.

Overall it was a very rewarding experience for me.

I am very happy to have been part in the honors

biotechnology program. It was very interesting

and exciting to learn all those techniques

associated with the field. The most rewarding

My Summer Internship at the Division of Environmental Protection (DEP): An Experience that is Part of the Honors Chemistry Program

By Haimonti Paul

scientists working there was to clean all waste water

before releasing it into the river. I was involved with

the different processes as part of my work. I was

asked to record the data obtained and made my

observations on the computer.

Although my experience was limited I learned how to

apply the concepts I learned in my honors class. In

addition, I realized how it is to be in the real world

as an employee by knowing that I had to be on time,

be serious in what I did and be able to evaluate data.

I took my first honors class at Queensborough in

the Chemistry Department. The introductory

chemistry honors course was taught by Dr. Jun

Shin. Because of my performance in this class I

was asked by the chair, Dr. Paris Svoronos, to

apply for a summer internship at the Department

of Environmental Protection (DEP) and was paid by

an ATE grant that Dr. Svoronos was a co-PI for.

I was assigned to work at the Brooklyn, Red Hook

site of the New York City DEP. The duties of the

Page 18

Queensborough Honors Newsletter

About the Honors 151 Class at Queensborough

My math background has been enhanced by this

course and it is helping me to prepare for the Math

Honors program. I am happy to have had the

opportunity to be in the Honors 151 class. There are

many advantages of taking this class and I believe

that employers, graduate schools and professional

schools would value honors work quite highly and I

would definitely recommend other students to take

this class.

By Colene Singh

The most obvious advantage of the Honors 151

class is that the class is smaller than regular

classes. This allows more discussions, interaction

among the students as well as closer contact with

the professor. It is a very intense class but it

provides the advantage of working with highly

qualified and motivated students and encourages

one to be actively studying in order to keep up

with assignments and quizzes, tests and exams as

well as the performance of other colleagues.

Doors the Chemistry Honors Program at QCC has opened for me

By Daniel Sangobanwo

My experience at the U.S Department of Energy’s

Science and Energy Research Challenge (SERCh)

hosted at Oakridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in

Tennessee is one that is both memorable and

unforgettable. Being chosen as one of the few to

compete in this event is something that I didn't

expect but nonetheless took full advantage of.

Out of a pool of applicants that participated in

summer research internships in National Labs all

over the country, just 95 were chosen. I happened

to be one of 3 community college students

chosen for this event. First of all, I have great

gratitude for the Honors program because

through it I was made aware of research

opportunities in the department and secure the

summer internship program at Brookhaven

National Laboratory. I have also been able to

attend various conferences including the

prestigious ACS national conference, where I

presented my work done with Dr. Mihaela Bojin. I

was thrilled with my experience at Brookhaven

National Laboratory because, I was able to

incorporate everything being learned in class into

my summer research project. The concept behind

the scientific method was deeply implemented into

every aspect of the project and this invigorated my

desire to learn more. I was a part of a Faculty and

Student team (FaST) which included Dr. Seeogjoo

Jang from Queens College, my mentor over the

summer and Dr John Miller, who is a scientist at

BNL. We worked on pulse radiolysis transient

absorption spectroscopy of triplet exciton states in

end-capped Polyfluorenes. This investigation was

carried out to see how excitons, which are a means

of transporting energy in silicon solar cells, migrate

across organic polymers in an effort to increase the

efficiency of organic solar cells which are much

affordable in comparison to their silicon

counterparts. I was glad to be chosen to present my

findings from the work I did over the summer. At

ORNL, I met so many people, students, professors

and scientists from universities all over the country

ranging from Stanford University to Columbia

University. It also served as a great networking

experience too. If asked to relive that experience, I

would a million times over if given the opportunity

to do so. I will always show appreciation for the

opportunity presented to me by the Honors

program at Queensborough Community College.

Page 19 Queensborough Honors Newsletter

My experience in Biotechnology bringing our knowledge one step closer to

understanding molecular life. Seeing the emerging

path biology is taking, it is without a doubt that this

course is the foundation of future biology.

By Avi Appleman

My experience in Biotechnology has made me

aware of the power we have in genetics and how to

utilize that power for the good. Whether it is for

solving crimes, manufacturing desired proteins,

exposing the true colors of a cell's genotype or

My experiences at Queensborough have opened many doors for me

By Rosa Rosales

volunteering at conferences, being part of the

“President Council”, and serving as the President of

the Chemistry Club.

After I graduated from Queensborough, I transferred

to SUNY at Buffalo where I began to fully appreciate

the value of my experiences at QCC. After I

graduated from SUNY at Buffalo, I started to look for

a job but the search was difficult. However, I never

lost contact with my professors at QCC. I returned

and started working part time at QCC. After two

months, I received a call from Pall Corporation, a

private industrial pharmaceutical company, which

offered me a position as a Lab Analyst in the

Biochemistry department. All of my experience from

QCC helped me earn the position. Currently, I work

at Pall Corporation as a lab analyst, while working

part time at QCC teaching a chemistry lab class. I

still have big aspirations for myself as I am currently

pursuing my Masters in Medical Biology at CW Post

LIU.

Kenny Bae mentored by Dr. Jun Shin’s QCC Chemistry’s Honors Program in front of his poster

When I was a student in Queensborough

Community College, I took advantage of any

opportunity that was presented to me. I always

want to succeed. My first step was to take a

General Chemistry I Honors class with Dr. Paris

Svoronos. When I started in that class I was shy,

nervous and had poor English skills; however, I

had confidence in myself. I believe the class and

the mentoring of Dr. Svoronos directed me to a

path of various beneficial experiences. I believe

that taking honors classes is a privilege for any

student because one has the opportunity for a

more enhanced learning experience. The second

step was to seek an environment where I can do

scientific research. Thanks again to Dr. Svoronos,

and Dr. Patricia Schneider of the Biology

Department, I enjoyed the “Bridges to the Future”

program at QCC and I was able to start doing

research at York College during the summer of

2004. Being part of the RIMS program, I was able

to participate in numerous conferences where I

received awards, and also became aware of

internship opportunities. From one conference I

obtained all of the information necessary in order

to apply to different internships for the next year.

After that conference I applied to different

programs from which three of them accepted me. I

decided to go to Cornell University and had full

support from the faculty at QCC.

Another goal that was accomplished at QCC was to

be involved in extracurricular activities. I consider

this to be a success because of my achievements

Page 20

Queensborough Honors Newsletter

Taking Honors Chemistry Classes at Queensborough: An Acquaintance with the Research Work of a Nobel Laureate

By Bhawanie Persaud

As this semester comes to an end so does my

final semester in Honors General Chemistry.

Throughout the past months I have come to

realize that taking part of science honors courses

has had a major effect on both my academic and

social life. The purpose of science is to stimulate

knowledge and to learn about new and interesting

topic in our everyday life. As an honors student

some of the things that I like the most are: the

one-on-one interaction with the professors, the

small classes where I get to interact with my

classmates and my professors and being given

the opportunity to solve problems on the board

etc. In addition the thing that I like the most is

the dedication of the professors, who sees my

potential and my passion for success and who give

me advice that will be beneficial in my studies.

This semester I had the opportunity to start my

research work with Dr. David Sarno who is actively

involved with the synthesis of conducting polymers.

This work is related to the work of the late 2000

Nobel laureate Professor Alan MacDiarmid with

whom Dr. Sarno worked as a postdoctoral fellow at

the University of Pennsylvania. This is particularly

exciting as the concept of the project is or has

particular significance in the real world. My findings

will be presented both as a power point and a

poster in at least four conferences in the next few

months including the National American Chemical

Society Meeting in Boston MA in August 2010.

Conducting PLTL Tutoring as Part of my Honors Program Participation

By Andre Smithson

The honors program in the Chemistry department

at Queensborough Community College has been

extremely beneficial to me. Being in the honors

program drives me to excellence in all areas of

my academic life. I see failure as not an option

and anything below a 100 as no good. Because I

am in the honors program, I was given the

opportunity to tutor.

Tutoring has been superb. Since I am striving for

excellence, I try to

pass my drive on to the students I tutor who really

appreciate my help. In addition, being in the honors

program, has allowed me to be involved with

research. In this project, we are identifying heavy

metals in substances using X-ray fluorescence.

These opportunities would not have been known to

me unless I was involved with the Honors Program.

In conclusion, I believe the honors program at

Queensborough is quite beneficial and all students

who seek to excel in life should apply for it.

Biotechnology Student Experience

By Elana Santos

Biotechnology gave me the chance to learn

techniques in science and to use these techniques

in a hands-on research project. It was such a

wonderful experience to present this research

at my first conference. We got to share what we

have learned and what we plan to do in the future. It

really is great to be in an environment with other

students who share a passion for science.

Page 21 Queensborough Honors Newsletter

BI-301 Honors/Service Learning Contract

participants in this enlightening curriculum I had a

chance to explore nature and interact with animals

at the Alley Pond Environmental Center while

teaching children topics that included the anatomy

and physiology of our local wildlife. The

Honors/Service Learning Project transformed

mundane learning material into an interactive and

exciting venture.

By Inessa Murdakhayeva

Anatomy and Physiology Honors as a Service

Learning project is an amazing educational

experience. Honors/Service Learning opens one’s

eyes to more than what is available in books; it

provides an opportunity to experience the nature

of the subject, and in that manner, to learn course

material in a much deeper way. Being one of the

Conducting Research with the department of Biological Sciences and Geology

By Verona Young

I was given an incredible opportunity by

Queensborough Community College to engage in

Biology research as part of the Bridges Program

that is coordinated by Dr. Patricia Schneider. Not

only has this experience expanded my knowledge

about biology, it familiarized me with working in

a lab setting. Working in the lab allowed me to

work independently and in groups when

necessary. It improved my critical analysis skills,

introduced me to different research methods, and

made me think in different, more innovative ways.

Research also boosted my confidence. The

conferences that I've attended helped build my

presentation skills and increase my level of comfort

dramatically. The skills that I have developed will

help me to further pursue my career. Doing

research opened my eyes to several opportunities

available in the science field while also solidifying

my dreams of becoming a M.D

From Queensborough to John Jay College: How the Honors Program Helped this Transition

result, the research experience granted me the

opportunity to present my work at the 57th

Undergraduate Research Symposium at Pace

University in May 2009 as a power point

presentation and the 238th National American

Chemical Society Meeting in Washington DC in

August 2009 as a poster. During these two events,

the presentation is done with other students at the

national level, mostly juniors and seniors.

Simply, The Honors Program is a great investment

for students who wish to succeed by challenging

their personal ad individual capacity. It is an

experience that goes one’s intellect. Now at John jay

College I can handle the tough forensics program

because of the discipline I acquired by taking Honors

Chemistry classes.

By Eva Maria Santos Tejada

As an exchange student at Queensborough

Community College, being part of the Honors

Program has allowed me to develop certain

abilities that I would not be able to discover if I

was back home, in the Dominican Republic. This

program provided me with a wide variety of

opportunities such as small and challenging

classes, where the instructor had a more direct

and personal communication with the students.

Furthermore, the honors program permitted me to

perform research under Dr. David Sarno, during

the winter and spring semester of 2009. This was

a more intimate setting with individuals that were

working on specific projects that were focused on

a relevant topic that is chemistry related. As a

Page 22

Queensborough Honors Newsletter

THE HONORS PROGRAM at Queensborough Community College is a comprehensive academic

program that provides an enriched classroom and overall intellectual experience to students who have

demonstrated high academic achievement. Honors scholars have an opportunity to expand their

knowledge in areas of particular interest, to distinguish themselves among their peers, and to make an

acknowledged contribution to the intellectual and cultural life of Queensborough. In this way, honors

scholars develop the strong academic and leadership skills required in the pursuit of advanced degrees

and challenging careers in New York City and beyond. Honors scholars take a combination of honors and

non-honors classes, and may earn honors credits through honors contacts. To graduate as an honors

scholar, students are required to complete successfully a minimum of 12 honors credits and have earned

an overall 3.40 GPA. Transfer credits are not included. No special or extra fees or costs are required to

register for honors classes.

Honors Courses: A transition from A to Z. By Ji Suh

In 2005, I was admitted to the chemical

engineering program at The Cooper Union (NY) as

a transfer student from QCC. I graduated in 2008

and currently in the Masters Program, just a few

steps away from receiving my degree. Who would

think that it would be possible to go from a

community college to a school like Cooper Union? I

did not think so either. As a matter of fact, there

are not that many students who transfer from

community colleges, probably less than 2%.

Moreover, if you say that you are from a

community college, people tend to think that you

Getting Involved with the Chemistry Honors Program:

A reflection on the Class and the PLTL Tutoring Opportunity

By Julet Baltonado

The Chemistry 151 Honors class is a good

opportunity for students to benefit from the close

intellectual contact with faculty and fellow honors

students. Being in this program helped me

develop initiative in my academic goals and

broaden my knowledge about a range of

interesting scientific studies, through the several

seminars offered to the honors students

throughout the semester. As part of this program,

we were expected to do a lot of extra-curricular

activities compared to students in non-honors

chemistry classes. It allowed me to be more

responsible and adapt, and has also helped

me as a tutor. In my PLTL tutoring sessions with

fellow students taking general chemistry courses, I

was able to use these skills to my advantage. It was

very rewarding to be able to impart my own

knowledge of the subject matter, and help other

students as well, who are just as willing and driven

to learn. Tutoring has helped me develop and

strengthen my ability in being a leader. I became

more confident in myself as a student as well.

Overall, I am pleased that I have decided to take the

honors class and I will not hesitate to take more

because I know this is a good start to distinguish

myself from other students.

would not be able to survive at Cooper Union,

but drop out in a year or so. Indeed, I now think that

I would not be able to receive a degree from Cooper

Union if it was not for the QCC honors classes. They

were highly beneficial in developing problem-solving

skills and research techniques. As an honors

student, through the guidance of Prof. Svoronos,

chair of the Chemistry Department at QCC, I was

given an opportunity to conduct organic chemistry

research at St. Johns which I think was the most

significant factor that made the transition from QCC

to Cooper Union possible.